Career and Education Opportunities for Paralegals in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has a population of 6,593,587, which has grown by 3.85% over the past 10 years. Nicknamed the "Bay State," Massachusetts's capital and largest city is Boston.

There are currently 590 working paralegals in Massachusetts; this should shrink by 3% to 570 working paralegals in the state by 2016. This is not quite as good as the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for paralegals are expected to grow by about 13.9%. Paralegals generally assist lawyers or judges by researching or preparing legal documents.

The income of a paralegal is about $22 hourly or $47,570 annually on average in Massachusetts. In the U.S. as a whole, their income is about $17 per hour or $37,130 per year on average. Compared with people working in the overall category of Representation, people working as paralegals in Massachusetts earn less. They earn less than people working in the overall category of Representation nationally. Paralegals work in a variety of jobs, including: judicial clerk, research attorney, and staff attorney.

In 2008, there were a total of 4,251,139 jobs in Massachusetts. The average annual income was $50,897 in 2008, up from $49,644 the previous year. The unemployment rate in Massachusetts was 8.4% in 2009, which has grown by 3.1% since the previous year. Roughly 33.2% of Massachusetts residents have college degrees, which is higher than the national average.

The top industries in Massachusetts include wholesale electronic markets and brokers, portfolio management, and navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing. Notable tourist attractions include the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Gardner Museum, and the The Bostonian Society.

CITIES WITH Paralegal OPPORTUNITIES IN Massachusetts

JOB DESCRIPTION: Paralegal

In general, paralegals assist lawyers or judges by researching or preparing legal documents. They also may meet with clients or assist lawyers and judges in court.

Every day, paralegals are expected to be able to see details at a very fine level of focus. They need to listen to and understand others in meetings. It is also important that they read and understand documents and reports.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Massachusetts include:

Lawyer. Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, and manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.

Legal Assistant. Assist lawyers by researching legal precedent, investigating facts, or preparing legal documents. Conduct research to support a legal proceeding, to formulate a defense, or to initiate legal action.

Title Examiner. Search real estate records, examine titles, or summarize pertinent legal or insurance details for a variety of purposes. May compile lists of mortgages, contracts, and other instruments pertaining to titles by searching public and private records for law firms, real estate agencies, or title insurance companies.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Massachusetts

Massachusetts photo by PapaDunes

Massachusetts has a population of 6,593,587, which has grown by 3.85% in the last 10 years. Nicknamed the "Bay State," Massachusetts's capital and largest city is Boston. In 2008, there were a total of 4,251,139 jobs in Massachusetts. The average annual income was $50,897 in 2008, up from $49,644 in 2007. The unemployment rate in Massachusetts was 8.4% in 2009, which has grown by 3.1% since the previous year. About 33.2% of Massachusetts residents have college degrees, which is higher than the national average.

The top industries in Massachusetts include wholesale electronic markets and brokers, portfolio management, and navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing. Notable tourist destinations include the Boston Sparks Association, the Gibson House Museum, and the Boston Fire Museum.